Flap for tires



Feb. 7, 192s. 1,658,646

A. J. MICHELIN FLA? FOR TIRES Filed Nov. 10. 1927 dz Evi, d1 www,

Patented Feb. 7, 1928. i

UNITED ISTATES PATENT, l OFFICE...

ANDR JULES MICHELIN, I' PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNVOR tTOMICEELIN .T GIE., 0F

CLERMONT-FERRAND, FRANCE, A. CORPORATION 0F CFRNCE.

FLAI? FOR TIRES.

Application filed November 10, 1927, Serial No. 232,335, and in France NovemberlS, 1926.

My present invention relates to improvements @in tire flaps and is intended to cover a modification ofan improvement in the structure illustrated and described inthe U.

S. Patents to Jules Hauvette-Michelin for tire iiaps granted respectively March 2, 1926, and June 15, 1926, and numbered respectively 1,557,479 and 1,589,301.

In these and other patents for devices used l for protecting the inner tube against abrasion either from the tire cover or trom thel rusty portion on the cylindrical outer face of the rim, it has been found expedient touse a band containing textile fabric or` to use a flat rubber band, or to use a rubber band substantially V-shaped in cross section, but none of the arrangements referred to are believed to be specially adapted for use with various widths of rims, andthe herein de'- scribed, protecting flap is believed to'possess certain advantages as to eiiiciency and adaptability as will be more' fully understood after reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, like parts 'are indicated by similar reference symbols throughout the several views.

' Figure l shows Aa cross section through the beads of a tire, and the rim, flap and inner tube, in the region of the valve stem, parts being shown in elevation.`

Figure 2 shows a similar view through the beads of the .tire casing, the inner tube, Lflap and rim, at stem.

Figure 3 is a detail showing in side elevation tire flap removed from the rim, parts being broken away.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the tire flapv shownin Figure 3.

Figure shows a cross section of the tire flap shown in Figures andv 4, along the line 5-5 of Figure 3, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 shows a section along the line 6-6'of the tire Hap shown in Figure 3, and looking in the direction of the arrows, and.

Figure 7 is a cross sectional diagrammatic view showing the adaptability of' the tire flap to use witlnvarious widths ofrim..

A is the tire casing provided "with any suitable reinforce, such as the wire a in the beads thereof.

B represents the inner tube which is preff ara-bly provided in the region of the valve point distant from the valve This ring is shown in detail'in Figures 3 to 6 and it consists of a channeled band, in cross section in the form of a truncated V. The inner wall of which is substantially cylindrical in shape'as d land this cylindrical portion terminates in two side walls d each flaring outward and tapered as shown most clearly in 'Figures 5 and 6. The inner wall of the ring ismade cylindrical as d2 to stretch over and'it snuglyjagainst the cylindrical portion of the 'rim C, between the tire beads, as shown'in ligures 1 and 2. This `r1ng D1ma-ybe providedfwith a reinforced portion adjaceii't tothe hole do for'the valve stem,- such portion being shown at d3 and d* in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5. This reinforced portion will protect the flap from being torn by the =valve stem asfis apt to happen when the -liap is forced around the rim C when the wheel is in use on the road, but this reinforced portion may@ be A I have shown in Figure 1 a protective metallic bridge E outside of the inner tube in the region of the valve stem which is illustrated and :described in vthe 'Patents Nos. 1,575,479 and 1,589,301 aforesaid, but athis protective bridge may also be omitted, especially, if the flap be reinforced in the region of the valve stem as shown in Figure 4.

The valve stem F is provided with the head 7 mounted inside of the inner tube, with the clamping nut G, also with the nut G" forlholding the valve stem on the rim as is well known in the art.

Tt will be seen that when -the inner tube isfinilated as shown in Figure 2,. the cylindrical. wall 'd2 ofthe Hap will bear rmly against the outer face of the rim and the inner cylindrical wall d will form abearing surface for the adjacent portion of the inner tube, while the liaringside walls d1 will adaptfthemselves to the space between the omitted if desired.A

-with' reglard to Fi inner tube and the corresponding portions of the tire cover, thus forming a protective arrangement which will protect the inner tube from unnecessary Wear, and at the same time the elasticity of the cylindrical portion of the flap Will cause that portion to stretch laterally and force the beads of the tire firmly against the fianges of the rim as shown in Figure 2.

In Figure 7, I have shown a diagram in which the full lines indicate the use of the flap onl a rim of medium Width, and the dotted lines indicate the use of the same flap on narrow rims and on broad rims respectively, so that the same tire casing, fiap and inner tube will serve equally well on rims of varying Width.

In assembling the parts, the locking rino' C1 is removed from the side of the rim and that portion `of the deflated tire including the inner tube, beads and fiap adjacent to the valve stem are slipped over the rim and the valve stem inserted in the usual way; then-the rest of the tire is slipped over the rim and the locking ring 1s put back in j place, and the tire is inflated.

The inflation of the inner tube will cause the same to stretch the cylindrical portion of the flap transverselycausing the beads of the tire to bear firmly against the fianges of the rim, and'at the same time the ta ered sides d1 of the flap will be squeezed rmly into place between the inner tube ,and the adjacent surface of the tire casingv as shown in Figure 2. The elasticity of the cylindrical portion `'of the -tire flap will permit the parts'to adapt themselves for use in' nar row or broad rims as previously explained It vv be note that the amountof frieythe said fiap bein tion exerted inside the ycover is very small, seeing that the edges 'of the flap tend to adhere to the inner surface of the cover, and therefore, move only a little or not at all in relation to the said surface, and this fur ther avoids elongation of the tube on the edge of the fiap.

The consequence of the combination hereinbefore described being a slower wearing of the flap and cover, easier fitting, and an easy adaptation to the various types of straight side flat rim pneumatic tires at prescnt in use.

While I have shown the improved form ot' arrangement for tire casing, rim, valve stem and correlated parts, it will be obvious that it might be varied at will without departing from the spirit of my invention, and

do not intend to limit the invention to any 'such details except as particularly pointed out in the claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is f A protective flapfor tires comprising a continuous channel shaped ring of elastic material cross seetionally in the form of a truncated V, having a cylindrical outer face adapted to engafre the outer face of the rim between the beads of the tire and with a substantially cylindrical inner face, and tapering side Walls flaring outwardly, andadapted to fit between the adjacent faces of the outer portion of the inner tube and the inner portion of the beads ofthe tire easing, provided with a reinforce integral therewit said reinforced portion being perforated to` permit the passage therethrough of the valve stem.

ANDR JULES MICHELIN. 

